It's a cross between guaranitica and splendens. As splendens is even less hardy/more tender than guaranitica, I would worry about its ability to winter over in a cold zone.

Thank you Gardengal. That's disappointing though. It's really done well this summer. It put out a lot of new growth and flowered like crazy. I'll try the leaves and plastic method that was mentioned in another thread and try not to be heartbroken if it doesn't return.

I've overwintered "Purple and Bloom" here in zone 6b central Kentucky for the past several years. It's endured winter lows in the single digits and the past winter's -9F low. As with "Black and Bloom", it's considerably hardier than advertised when grown in good conditions (well-drained soil, full or nearly full sun) and mulched well in winter.

My preferred mulch is at least ten inches of straw without any further covering. Cold + damp = increased likelihood of winter-kill.

*there are a number of Salvia hybrids rated to zone 8 and higher that are considerably more cold-reistant than claimed, including "Amistad" and "Rockin' Fuchsia" (the latter was another of this past winter's survivors and regrew into a 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 foot plant that's flowered all season).

Good to hear! I Thank you!

Thanks for the update and telling us how you over wintered it. I'm always looking for plants the hummers like, but so far I've hesitated to try the more tender salvias.